


For My (Mad) King

by narkmutt



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Character Death, Multi, but also kinda happy, kinda sad, what even are titles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:04:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3344639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narkmutt/pseuds/narkmutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After taking over the throne, Gavin comes for revenge for taking his lovers life. Ryan is stuck with fighting for his life and making sure his favourite men are okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For My (Mad) King

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on http://joel-hymen.tumblr.com

Ryan sits upon his thrown, swirling his wine around in his favourite skull; the kill that granted him the title of The Mad King.

Michael was named the Best King, even after his dear friend Ray. Ryan remembers the screaming of the people in the courtyard, right after he executed him.

He remembers Ray pushing through the crowd, pain lacing his features. He dropped beside his friend and he took his last breath.

You’re insane! A woman yelled, holding her child close to her. You’re mad, why would you kill him? Out best king?

Ryan took a sip of his wine as he was stuck in the past.

Ryan had laughed, taking the crown off of Micheal’s limp head and placed it upon his own.  
Why not? He asked. I deserve to be King as much as that man, I can rule just as well.

From the floor, Ray had shaken his head. No, he had said. You’ll never rule as well as Michael did.

From them on, people had called Ryan ‘Mad’, so he had decided to live up to the name.

Ryan blinked slowly, bringing himself back to the present. He glanced down at his loyal and favourite knights. To his left sat Joel, his finest swordsman. He sat at attention, prepared for anything.

To his left sat Ray, the previous King’s favourite subject and friend. Now, he was recruited in Ryan’s circle of men. Over the years, Ray became numb to Ryan’s threats, and had become loyal.

Now, Ryan trusts him with his life.

Kerry, the King’s set of eyes outside of the castle grounds, comes running up, tripping over his feet in urgency.

"King Ryan!" Kerry yells as he runs. He stops in front of the throne and leans down to pant. After a few seconds, he says out of breath; "King Ryan, Prince Gavin has come! He is just outside of the castle walls. He’s declaring war!"

Ryan hums thoughtfully, and puts his skull down. He clasps his hands together and leans forward to look at Kerry.

"I thought this would happen," Ryan says with a sigh. "Tell the others to block the perimeters and get the archers ready. I assure you he will not stop until either him or myself have stopped breathing."

Kerry nods and asks, “Anything else, my King?”

Ryan purses his lips for a moment, and they says, “No, that is all for now. Make sure I keep updated. Thank you Kerry.”

Kerry bows and then runs back out, panting as he goes.

"What would you like us to do, my King?" Joel looks up and asks from his position.

"Nothing for now," Ryan replies. "I will save you two for when you are needed. Gavin will stop at nothing to get to me."

"How do you know? I think we are trained far beyond his level of skill." Ray says from the other side.

Ryan shakes his head. “That very well may be, but his determination and raw passion to see my head upon a stick will make him almost unstoppable. He never did get over the death of his loved one.”

"His loved one?" Joel asks.

Ryan nods. “Yes; him and Michael were lovers. You can imagine the hate Gavin has for me.”

"Yes," Joel says. "I suppose I can."

Ryan picks up his skull again and takes a long drink. “Knowing how far he would go to hurt me, I don’t want either of you going out there until either he is dead, or he is the only one standing. Then, I know you would have the upper hand.”

"But sire," Ray starts. "We are knights, it is our job to protect you and your kingdom. It would be an honor to die for you."

Ryan looks down upon Ray. “Yes, but I don’t want you dying; either of you.” Ryan says as he switches his gaze to Joel. “I regard you two to be my closest friends, and I will not lose you over someone else’s death wish.”

Ray and Joel nod solemnly.

"Thank you, my King," Joel says. "As do we regard you as a close friend."

Ryan sets his skull back down and stands. He drops his cloak onto his throne.

"In any case, we best get ourselves ready for battle if it comes to it. Best to be prepared." The King says as he steps down.

Ray and Joel rise from their seats and begin walking down the hall, but Ryan holds out his hand to stop them.

Something resembling fear quickly flashes across his face for a flicker of a moment, and he sets his hand back down.

"Be ready for anything, stay inside the castle walls until Kerry tells you to fight. I will be waiting outside for you two." Ryan says, and then grabs Ray’s shirt and pulls him to him.

The kiss is surprising to Ray, but not unwanted. His stiff limbs loosen and he melts into Ryan’s lips, putting his hand against his cheek. Ray gets to feel the stubble on his jaw for a few seconds before Ryan pulls away. He lets his forehead rest against Ray’s for a moment, and then whispers, “Stay safe.” before he pulls away.

"Go." He says to Ray and Ray walks off in a daze.

He faces Joel, who looks at him with worry.

"You will stay safe as well, won’t you?" Joel asks, timidly, out of his usual character.

"Yes, as long as you do." Ryan says as he pulls Joel to him as well. Joel goes willingly, wrapping his arms around Ryan’s neck and buries his face into his shoulder. Ryan’s arms wrap around Joel’s waist and holds him tightly.

"See you there." Ryan says and peppers his neck and jaw with a few kisses.

They both let go, Joel trying to linger as long as he can before he has to move away and prepare himself for a battle he hopes he doesn’t have to fight.

Ryan watches the two men he cares deeply for disappear down the corridor and goes to get ready himself.

~

Ray and Joel stand beside each other, their swords holstered and shields strapped to their arms.

"Are you ready?" Joel asks.

Ray nods and lets out a sigh. He looks up to Joel with a sad smile.

"Do you think we’ll make it?" Ray asks. Joel gives him a soft smile and pulls the younger into his arms.

"Of course we will." Joel says as he rests his head on Ray’s. "Have you seen what our king has done for us? He’ll make sure we’re okay."

Joel pats down Ray’s hair and Ray pulls back to give Joel a kiss. It’s simple, but conveys the message Ray wants it to.

'I love you, stay safe.'

Joel conveys the message back with a stroke to Ray’s cheek.

They pull away and make sure they have everything they need, and then they head back out.

~

Ryan stands with his arms behind his back, and surveys the situation.

His archers stand on the high walls, waiting their mark. Ryan hears a call of ‘Fire!’ and they all release their arrows. He can hear a rumble of running and battle cries from the other side of the wall.

Ryan doesn’t feel panic- the bridge is up, the only way in is blocked and heavily guarded.

Panic isn’t what he feels when he see’s one of his archers fall from the wall, a golden-tinted arrow stick out of his chest.

The cries from the next few archers that fall from the wall doesn’t send him into a panic.

The few stray arrows that make their way over the wall and into the ground doesn’t make him panic.

But when Kerry runs over to two particular knights, Ryan feels panic rush through him like it’s running through his veins.

He goes to yell at them, to get back, but he feels a piercing pain. He cries out and looks at where the pain forms, and see’s a golden arrow sitting in the middle of his forearm. He tightly grasps the area around the new wound and makes a sound that resembles a growl. He looked up at the wall, where some of Gavin’s men had somehow managed to make their way up to.

Among the other men, he see’s Gavin shielding his eyes from the sun, smirking down at him, bow slung around his shoulder.

"Gavin!" Ryan yells, as he snaps the arrow near enough where it’s pierced his skin. He doesn’t feel the pain, just the new anger running through him. He walks over to where he sword is resting, and lifts it up with his good hand.

He points the tip towards Gavin.

"You want to fight me? Then come down here and fight me like a man." Ryan calls out.

Ryan can see Gavin smirk and drop his arm. It’s all he can see, everything else just turns into white noise.

"Auright then, Mad King.” Gavin says as he hops down on to the bridge just below the rim of the wall. “Is it okay if I call you that?” He asks as he begins his way down to Ryan.

"Stop wasting time, fool. Get down here and fight me!" Ryan yells, his face turning red.

Gavin just laughs. “Fine then, my liege.” Gavin mockingly bows and drops to the ground.

"You said a fair fight, right?" Gavin asks as he take off his quiver and bow, sitting them against the wall.

"Yes, fair." Ryan answers.

It’s here they begin circling around each other, starting their fight.

Gavin slowly nods as he opens a pouch on his belt.

"So, it’s okay if i use this then?" He asks as he pulls out a dagger, about three inches long.

All it takes is for Ryan to nod, and Gavin goes for his first strike.

He runs toward Ryan and tries to swipe across his chest.

Ryan easily steps back and swings his sword toward Gavin.

Gavin squawks, and ducks. He makes a quick jab at Ryan, trying to hit anything, and he manages a small cut along Ryan’s arm.

Ryan doesn’t hiss, nor feels the cut. He takes his swords hilt with both hands and raises it above his head. He feels a pull around the arrow in his arm, but it doesn’t stop him.  
He makes eye contact with Gavin for a moment, sees the fear and pushes the sword down with all his force.

Gavin rolls out of the way, falling on his backside as he barely manages to dodge the blow.

His eyes have become wide, and he sees an opening to strike. He knows if he doesn’t take the chance now, Ryan will kill him.

He quickly gets up while Ryan’s sword is stuck in the dirt, and runs into Ryan, the dagger pushed into his belly, the hilt touching the cloth of his over clothes.

Ryan stills and looks down at his stomach. He lets go of his sword and it clatters to the ground.  
He looks down at his stomach, sees Gavin backing up and places his hands around his wound.

He blinks and looks up to Gavin, opens his mouth to say something, but all that comes out is a line of blood, rolling down his chin.

He feels the blood pouring out quickly and drenching his clothes, and he drops to his knees.

He looks back to the wound and sees red liquid covering his hands and slipping between his fingers.

He hears a cry of ‘NO’, and he looks up at the voice.

He sees Ray and Joel not to far from him. While Joel unsheathes his sword, his sight set on Gavin who is fumbling with his bow and quiver, Ray runs to his King.

"Ryan!" Ray yells as he drops beside him. He takes sight of the blood on his arm and clothes and feel a prickling in his eyes. He looks up into his King’s eyes, and presses his hands against the wound.

Ryan hisses and hunches forward.

"We have to stop the bleeding! If we stop it, you’ll be okay!" Ray yells, using a free hand to rest against Ryan’s stubbled cheek.

Blood smears along his jaw line, and Ryan looks back at Ray with a sad look.

He goes to talk, but Ray shushes him. “You’ll be okay, you’ll get help.”

Ryan nods, and falls to lean into Ray’s shoulder. Ray tries his best to keep them both up.

Ryan frees one of his hands and rests it on Ray’s shoulder.

"I love you. I love you, Ray. Tell Joel I loved him too if I don’t make it." Ryan whispers.

Ray’s eyes water, and he screws them shut.

"No, you’ll tell him yourself!" He screams.

Ray feels a tug on his other shoulder and looks back to find Jack, their potion master and doctor-of-sorts, and Ray helps to get Ryan into Jack’s curing hands.

As Jack pulls the dagger out and presses a cloth to the wound, Gavin shuffles back to avoid Joel’s sword.

Gavin can see the rage in the knights eyes, and fears for his life.

"You better hope you didn’t kill him, or it isn’t just you who I’m going to finish." Joel says and reaches forward to grab at Gavin’s clothes.

He pulls him up and close to his body.

"Have any last words?" Joel asks the quivering boy.

"It was for Michael! My lovely Michael…" Gavin’s voice falters and a tear escapes him.

Joel feels no sympathy and pushed his sword into Gavin’s chest and it goes straight through.

Gavin groans and falls as Joel pulls his sword out.

Gavin gasps for breath as he feels his blood leave him and his life slipping out of him.

It isn’t too long until all he closes his eyes. He’s surrounded by black, until he can just make out the features of his lovers face. His hand that was painfully gripping onto the pendant Michael had once given his goes limp, and he stops breathing.

~

Ray and Joel wait in the King’s room as they watch Ryan’s sleeping body laid out in his bed.

The feelings of relief never leaves as they watch the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Ray leans his head onto Joel and grabs one of Ryan’s hands.

"He’s going be okay." Ray says, sure of him self. Beside him, Joel smiles.

He wraps an arm around Ray and rests his head against Ray’s.


End file.
